The garden holds many pleasures for me; the sounds of the wind through the trees, the colors of blossoms and leaves, the scent of earth and flowers. Perhaps most treasured among the garden’s delights are my friends  the song birds.  They dine at the feeder outside my kitchen window, nest in the houses I’ve provided for them around our yard, and sing their hearts out from my holly tree and deck railing.They bring color and music and energy to my life each time I pause to observe them.

The Carolina chickadee is probably my favorite. Or, is it the black-capped chickadee that’s won my heart?  Ah, there’s the rub. It’s very difficult to tell which bird you’re meeting.  They have trouble telling which is which themselves, and (shocking to tell) they interbreed.

But, I digress. What I enjoy about the chickadees is their general joie de vivre . They flit about the yard calling and singing all day long.  When they discover a food source, they call out, inviting other birds, even other varieties of birds to join them for the feast!

Which brings me to another thing I like about chickadees, they play well with others.  Because they are so generous in sharing food sources, other song birds cluster with the chickadees. Wrens and nuthatches, vireos and goldfinch listen for the chickadees’ announcements, “Here, step this way. Dinner is served!”  They gather together on my feeder – golds and reds, grays and black.  Such a beautiful cluster of feathered life.

Winter and summer, the chickadees call and sing, animating  my garden and my spirit.

  (I’ve been unsuccessful at posting a little video I recorded on my iphone of my birdfeeder guests.  If anyone knows how to post an iphone video on the internet, please let me know.)